Hunting Love
by Lady Razeli
Summary: Aphrodite is being hunted by the Queen of the Gods Hera and the only one close enough to help her is Iolaus, can he save her or will he just end up losing the person he loves?
1. Chapter 1

Hunting Love

By

Lady Razeli

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Hercules and Xena what so ever they belong to other people who are not me.

Chapter One

Iolaus took three steps to Hercules one, he had never gotten over the feeling of inadequacy Hercules gave him and although he loved the big guy it was just hard to shake the feeling. Iolaus nearly scoffed out loud as he thought of his jealous tendencies, it seemed to him that for someone he called his best friend, he sure did envy him a lot. What was it about Hercules that got him all the women and fame, nine times out of ten Iolaus had been right beside him. Where was his girls and his fame? Iolaus began to wonder did he even love his best friend?

"Hey what's on your mind?" Hercules asked interrupting his thoughts. Iolaus frowned.

"I'm just wondering how do you know you love someone?" Hercules looked at him thoughtfully.

"You'd do anything for them, you know that," Hercules told him clapping him on the back. Iolaus nodded.

"I guess you're right," Iolaus told Hercules as they continued walking.

"But if you really doubt it or can't believe, I would go to the source."

"Who the fates?" Iolaus asked confused. Hercules chuckled.

"Not unless you want your question answered and more questions in the process, no, Aphrodite, she's brilliant at her job." Iolaus nodded.

"That's true if there is one thing she can do it's love." Hercules nodded. "Any particular girl you have in mind I don't know about." Iolaus shook his head.

"No, but I suppose that is part of the problem, you've had two great loves, three really if you count Xena, but me all I've got are endless one night stands."

"Well maybe you don't love as easily as I do."

"No the way I see it is perhaps I love too much, I mean you hardly ever love at all." Hercules looked slightly embarrassed.

"Uh okay so are we even referring to actual love anymore." Iolaus sighed.

"Maybe you're right I ought to talk to Aphrodite herself she's suppose to be responsible for this right?" Hercules nodded.

"Well she has a hand in somethings, but there is such a thing as honest true love and even she can't and won't interfere with that."

"Tell that to the couple she tried to break up over a temple according to Gabrielle." Hercules shrugged and nodded.

"All Aphrodite could do was redirect the girl's intentions, Cupid spent months developing that into true love." Iolaus nodded.

"Well there can be many interpretations to this story." Hercules nodded.

"You know I think Aphrodite has a temple just over here."

"Oh why don't we…" Iolaus was interrupted by a scream.

"Hercules!" They both turned to see a small man running down the road towards them, there was a fork in the road and if he hadn't spotted them they were sure he would have turned down it. As it was they thought he probably had no idea he was so close.

"Are you all right?" They asked when he bumped into Hercules.

"Please do you know the way to Hercules." He took huge breaths of air.

"I am Hercules, what's happened?" The man looked more than relieved.

"An army coming straight for our village you have to hurry," He cried and now he began to pull and pull on his arm. Hercules looked apologetically at Iolaus. Iolaus frowned.

"Hey look I think you can handle an army, I'm just gonna head to Aphrodite's temple and then join you." Hercules nodded and waved to his friend as the man pulled him along. Iolaus sighed and continued on towards Aphrodite's temple. He hoped she would find it in her heart to keep his questions to herself, he didn't want it getting back to Hercules. Iolaus had been walking for a candle mark when he finally spotted the top of Aphrodite's temple; it was another candle mark before he even arrived to his amazement.

"Gods, what is it with Gods and having temples that are out of the way."

"Hey blondie it's not our fault you mortals build temples so far away," Aphrodite told him as she appeared with three guys. "You remember the boys tall, dark and handsome." She grinned at each one and rubbed their chin.

"Yeah, I do," Iolaus reluctantly admitted him gave them a short wave, they made him uncomfortable. "Say Aphrodite can we talk, just you and I?"

"Of course, that's why I didn't wait for you to call me." She sat down on one of her plush pink couches as the boys disappeared.

"How did you know I was coming here to talk to you?" Aphrodite looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"Like I don't ease drop every time my name is mentioned, I want to like know what people are saying duh." Iolaus nodded.

"Fair enough than you know why I'm here?"

"You want to know why you haven't found love yet and settled down, popped out a couple of ungrateful kids," Aphrodite told him.

"Yes, that in a nutshell and the fact that I apparently love Hercules, but envy him." Aphrodite looked at him thoughtfully.

"Blondie your envy has something to do with you not Hercules that's why you love him, and no I'm not lying you love my big bro with all your heart, you'd do anything for him."

"Well where is the woman I'd do anything for?" Iolaus demanded.

"You're rash," Aphrodite told him in a surprising observation. Iolaus took several deep breaths he was getting frustrated over nothing.

"I'm sorry Aphrodite it's just all very frustrating to be so…so…."

"Envious?" Aphrodite asked as if it was nothing. Iolaus nodded.

"Yes envious I mean he's had two families and look at me, best friend all his life you ever think he's been to my wedding gave me bad marriage advice and no all because I can't make a commitment or find a woman I love." Aphrodite looked at him sadly.

"Don't fret, somewhere there is a mortal out there for you, and I haven't found her yet." Aphrodite stood and walked over to her glass bowl ready to peer in.

"But that's just it I want true love, honest to goodness love nothing you cooked up." She stopped and frowned.

"Well Blondie you can only sit and wait for true love, not all this moping around, true love will find you, there's no time limit on it."

"Perhaps I should visit the fates and ask them when."

"Or you could leave it so I don't have to repeat myself later." Iolaus was about to speak when he was interrupted, although he wasn 't surprised there. He didn't know a time when he wasn't interrupted by anything. They both turned look at Hera standing in the middle of Aphrodite's temple.

"Hera, what do you want?" Aphrodite asked. Hera had never set foot in her temples before ow, so what was she doing here. Hera didn't say a word as she raised her hand and pointed it at Aphrodite; Iolaus seeing the fireball form immediately began to push Aphrodite over to the side as the fireball went pass her and burnt a whole in the wall. "Hey, you're going to make this!" Hera didn't say a word as she continued to throw fireballs destroying the tension. Iolaus kept pulling a screaming Aphrodite out of the place.

"Come on transport us somewhere safe!"Iolaus yelled at her. Aphrodite forced herself to focus and then there was nothing but silence around her.

"What the hell was that?" Aphrodite asked. She had never been attacked by another god before unless she happen to be in the way when they were attacking Ares.

"I don't know you tell me why Hera's suddenly got it out for you."

"I don't know!" Aphrodite cried.

"Oh no please look no tears please." Aphrodite calmed down very little. "Look just come with me to Hercules, he can solve our little problem, and keep us both alive as well we just have to figure out out. Aphrodite nodded.

"That'a good idea blondie, now let's go before Hera comes." She held out her hand.

"Oh no we walk and do this my way just in case she's trapping you and your wound inside or outside." Aphrodite moaned and groaned as he pulled her out of the little shack they had landed in and headed for the road.

* * *

A/n: I hope you enjoy this first bit of a new story. This story is not originally my idea so I'm still working it out in my head a bit, but I wanted to see what you thought so far. I would appreciate feedback and these chapters should start getting longer as I get a better idea and feel for the characters and the choices they will make in this story :) I hope you liked it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I don't understand it why would Hera be after me," Aphrodite whined. Iolaus sighed.

"I don't know you tell me, you Gods are always holding grudges against each other."

"Well duh, but no one holds a grudge with me except that slut bitch Discord," Aphrodite informed him.

"Maybe Discord lied to Hera about something." Aphrodite shook her head.

"No, Hera would just send thugs to destroy my temple, nothing Discord could say would ever get the Queen of the Gods to one temple to destroy it or me. I'm telling you whatever it is it must be big." Iolaus looked around.

"Where exactly did you zap us anyway?" Aphrodite frowned and looked around and shrugged.

"Beats me Blondie I only know cities I've been too not roads or forests." She picked at a leaf with disgust. "Ugh nature, I can't believe I once tried to dress like Hercules and do this whole nature thing." Iolaus groaned and tried hard to figure out where they could possibly be.

"Well we had better pick a direction and hope there's a town soon or we won't be able to figure out where we are."

"Lead the way," Aphrodite groaned. Iolaus couldn't decide to go left or right so he flipped a dinar.

"Heads we go to the right." Aphrodite leaned against a tree already bored and wanting to be back in her palace. This was by far the most time she had ever spent in the company of Hercules best friend as much as she loved her big bro she had sensed from Iolaus a sort of disdain. She didn't like to be around people who disliked her they harshed her mood. Aphrodite's mind began to wander as she thought about the sweet waves hitting the coast near Sparta. The princess there owed her one for the love match she had set up, and she would be the perfect surfing buddy.

"Aphrodite!" Aphrodite jumped and looked at Iolaus.

"What!" Aphrodite asked. She rubbed her temples if he was going to be like this, she ought to employ the warrior babe's mental survival guide to Iolaus as she had called it.

"Come on we go left." Aphrodite was silent, what had Xena said about Iolaus and directions if he went left, you take a right? She didn't remember if that was exactly what she said, but she began to head right. Iolaus sighed and rubbed his head, as he though Aphrodite was such an air head she didn't even know which way was left.

"Aphrodite, that's not left," Iolaus called after her.

"I know, I want to go right!" Aphrodite told him looking back at him.

"Look out for that!" Aphrodite turned just in time to hit a tree.

"Ow!" She fell back and Iolaus just failed to stop his laughter as he hurried over to Aphrodite. He knelt beside her and propped her head up a bit.

"Are you all right?" He asked her his voice full of laughter. Aphrodite was a bit dazed, but she was all right besides the cut on her brow, which wasn't too deep. Iolaus took a cloth and dabbed the cut catching some blood on it.

"How dare you laugh at me!" Aphrodite's outrage just seemed to fuel his laughter as she got up quickly. Aphrodite did not like to be laughed at when she was hurt one bit. No one had ever laughed at her before especially some useless little mortal.

"Well you have to admit it was bit funny."

"No, I don't, and I won't be traveling with you any longer!" She disappeared in a flash without a thought to Hera only her hurt pride.

"Damn it Aphrodite no wait!" It was too late Aphrodite was gone in a golden flash. Iolaus sighed. "Well I can only hope that she'll be back." He returned to the road and continued to the right. He walked for a long time before he finally came to a town.

"Excuse me sir, what town is this?"

"Aneas, and if you're lost, you had better go thank the Gods, you didn't take the left fork in the road." Iolaus looked confused.

"Why is that?" Iolaus asked.

"To left is the city Parkas, and it was just destroyed by the Gods themselves."

"Destroyed why!" Iolaus asked alarmed.

"The furies have put a bounty out on the head of the goddess of love!" He exclaimed. "Haven't you heard? Anyway they destroyed her temple and when they thought her followers there might be sheltering her they began to tear the city apart."

"All the Gods are after Aphrodite?" Iolaus asked shocked.

"And many mortals now that there's a bounty," He said. "I hope to be the one to catch her and maybe get a new young wife in the process." He grinned and hurried off. Iolaus groaned. He had to find Aphrodite, he went to the small town temple, but many people were lying in wait for her to show up, Iolaus also knew that Aphrodite would never show up to such a temple. It simply wasn't her style. Once he got directions from a butcher who wasn't running around like a fool by his own opinion Iolaus left the town with some wine and meat.

"Aphrodite!" He yelled. "Aphrodite!" He kept calling her as loudly as he dared by chance that someone should overhear. In a flash of gold and shivering and crying Aphrodite appeared with the sun god Apollo, Iolaus was nearly awed by him, he had never seen the sun god.

"Take care of my sister, meet up with Xena and Gabrielle in…." Apollo trailed off as he tried to remember what town Xena had spoken of.

"Cornith?" Iolaus supplied. Apollo nodded.

"That's the one, I am not a huge fan of Xena's, but she's the only one who can help my sister now."

"What about Hercules, he can do something about this."

"She's getting Hercules on the way, you just take care of my sister, all the Gods are looking for her."

"But why?" Iolaus asked.

"Don't worry about it, just get her to Cornith to your buddies." Iolaus nodded grimly.

"I don't like this not knowing."

"Tough cookies," Apollo told him before kissing Aphrodite's cheek and disappearing before someone noticed where he was.

"We have to keep moving," Aphrodite cried from his arms. Iolaus nodded and quickly made their way through the forest avoiding the road, but following it's direction.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Thank you for helping me," Aphrodite sighed. "I can't trust anyone." Iolaus sighed and patted Aphrodite's back. She was an immortal and yet she was as soft and delicate as any woman. He took a deep breath and her scent entered his nostrils. She smelled of lavender oil and some unknown scent he could only describe as love. Love was indeed a beautiful thing and she excreted it.

"You're welcome, but you have more than me to trust, we'll make it to cornith soon."

"Oh no if I can't spread the love than so many couples are going to be unhappy." She started rattling off couples who were due to find their true love and wouldn't now. Iolaus was amazed as he got her walking towards Cornith how well she knew her worshippers. As a good, he thought they were all selfish bastards who didn't give a damn at all about the people who came every day to worship them and fill their temples with gold and silk.

"Is it a long walk to Cornith?" She asked. Iolaus knew it was, but the longer she talked the quicker the walk would be now that he knew where he was.

"So how does it work bringing two people together?" Iolaus asked. "I mean do you know who will be someone's true love?" Aphrodite shook her head.

"Iolaus Love is everlasting, but it is also fickle."

"Yes, I know, I have yet to find everlasting love."

"Look Iolaus your true love will find you when the fates see fit, not because I say so. I mean yes I can make people fall in love, but eventually my spell must wear off and you, you must see if from that real love is born."

"And how many times have you hit me with a spell and I'm the one that's not in love?" Aphrodite grinned.

"I haven't hit you with a spell in years Iolaus, you have no trouble falling for a girl on your own, one day, you'll meet someone so great that their very presence will strike you down mind, body, and soul."

"Did any of them truly love me?" Iolaus asked.

"A few, but you would be surprised how quickly unrequited love can vanish in the face of true love."

"Hmm…I have another question," Iolaus said he was about to go deep into thought when he saw Aphrodite's attention turning back to their walk.

"What's that?" Aphrodite asked absently scratching her arm.

"Hercules and Xena."

"What about them?" Aphrodite asked. He got the feeling she knew where he was heading, but just let him talk.

"Are they ever going to be together?" He asked. "Do they even have true love?" Aphrodite smiled as she thought about her brother and the warrior princess.

"Xena has many loves." Iolaus frowned.

"What do you mean, that she has multiple lovers." Aphrodite giggled and shook her head.

"No, that's not Xena not at one time anyway. She…." Aphrodite trailed off as she thought about what she wanted to say. "She's a beautiful woman with qualities that man cannot resist, she's the perfect mortal woman. Strong and fierce yet soft, there's more to the warrior princess than most men will ever know."

"I don't understand," Iolaus said confused.

"She's ideal, all men want her, but not all will have her. I couldn't begin to count on my hand the number of people who have fallen in true love at just the sight of her, and she can't do anything about it. I can barely do anything about it. There are so many people who will never find another love, because the love that they have for Xena is so strong. A las Xena can only give one her whole being."

"But how do you know it's not one of them?" Iolaus asked. "You said you don't know who a person's true love is."

"I also must confer with the fates, when it comes to a woman like Xena, they can see your past future and present in any scenario. I can only try to bring her together with whom they suggest."

"Ares loves her doesn't he." Aphrodite nodded.

"My brother has loved her since before she knew there was a world outside her mother's womb, so loves are just cosmically destined to be there."

"But he's not her true love." Aphrodite shook her head.

"Not anymore, Ares, had his chance and he made the wrong choices."

"And Hercules has he made the wrong choices?" Iolaus asked.

"Not yet, soon though he will have to make a decision to claim their love or not or he'll be lose her."

"To who?" Iolaus asked.

"Number of people in Xena's past or future, present even, I won't let her be alone, she deserves love."

"Present?" Iolaus asked. "Are you saying I love Xena?"

"No, you loved Xena big difference." Iolaus couldn't fathom who else in the present would love Xena besides himself and Hercules.

"Yes, I loved, but they love each other right all they have to do is decide to be together?" Aphrodite nodded. "And my true love, she'll come soon?" Aphrodite shrugged.

"I told you I can't put a time stamp on when your true love arrives, for all I know she's already in your life, but that moment just hasn't happened yet. It's quite common, sometimes true love must grow over time before you realize it's there."

"Than Gabrielle and I!" Iolaus decided. "She must be it." He didn't feel anything for Gabrielle he thought perhaps Aphrodite was right, maybe this time something would spark between them and he would have the love he so desperately wanted. For a good mile Aphrodite watched him daydream about a family of little blondes running around with Gabrielle as his wife, but she didn't comment to him that Gabrielle was not destined for him, that much she knew, she always knew about a couple's potential and Iolaus and Gabrielle had no potential.

That night as they camped out under the stars more than just to Aphrodite's dismay, Iolaus dreamt of having a family again, but to his surprise it wasn't Gabrielle he greeted with a kiss, but Aphrodite wearing normal clothes. She was so beautiful and they were so happy and when he made love to her in his dream….Iolaus woke up in a sweat breathing hard. Aphrodite was beside him, she was a god, she didn't necessarily sleep and she couldn't sleep not while they were outside camping.

"You were having a sex dream," Aphrodite said amused. Iolaus looked at her strangely.

"You know most people tell someone they were having a bad dream not a sex dream."  
Aphrodite grinned and shrugged. Iolaus couldn't help, but grin back at her.

"You forget I'm not most people Iolaus and unless you have a penchant for pain, bad dreams don't give you hard ons." She touched him lightly that if he hadn't seen her hand he might have thought it had never been there. Aphrodite moved back over to her seat by the fire and gazed into it. When Iolaus finally walked over after being alarmed and yet so turned on she had noticed such a thing, he saw she was watching couples in the fire.

"What are you doing?" Iolaus asked.

"Helping my worshippers," She replied absently so intent was her focus. "I can't just do nothing because Hera's crazy." Iolaus nodded and watched her work until he could fall asleep again.


End file.
